Pleasantries
Meaning
Polite, friendly remarks made at the start of a conversation, not about anything serious.
हिंदी मेंबातचीत की शुरुआत में की गई विनम्र, मित्रवत टिप्पणियां, जो किसी गंभीर विषय के बारे में नहीं होतीं।
How this word actually lands
“Pleasantries” exists in British English, but it often has a slightly different feel from the warm meaning Indian speakers may intend. The phrase “exchange pleasantries” can suggest a short, polite social interaction without much real conversation. For example, “We exchanged pleasantries before the meeting” sounds perfectly natural, but it does not necessarily suggest that the two people had a friendly or meaningful discussion. It can almost sound like a description of social routine. If you simply want to say that you spoke to someone in a friendly way, “We had a chat” or “We spoke for a few minutes” may sound more natural. This is another case where the word is correct but the implied attitude matters.
Example Sentences
“They exchanged pleasantries before the meeting started.”
बैठक शुरू होने से पहले उन्होंने औपचारिक बातें कीं।
“After a few pleasantries, they got down to business.”
कुछ औपचारिक बातों के बाद, वे काम की बात पर आ गए।
⚠ Common Mistake
Almost always used in the plural — "exchange pleasantries", not "a pleasantry" in most everyday contexts.
Good to Know
- Synonyms
- polite remarks
- Countable
- countable
- Plural
- pleasantries
Written and reviewed by Maninder Thind · Last updated 3 September 2026
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